In times of war, castles served as both residences and fortifications. The noble lords of old did not expend vast amounts of manpower and resources merely for the sake of enjoyment; they built these grand structures as a means of protection. No one could guarantee that war would not erupt at any moment, and thus a solid castle, along with a few hundred well-equipped knights, provided not only peace of mind for the nobles but also security for the common folk within their territories. Even in the absence of war, nobles had to guard against bandits, thieves, and even desperate refugees.
The most iconic structures of the Nesser era were undoubtedly the towering magical towers and floating cities. However, during the dark years between the New Era and the Nesser era, the countless castles of various sizes that dotted the continent became symbols of that tumultuous time.
In that dark age, with feudal states rising and the continent engulfed in smoke and chaos, even the lowest-ranking baron would exhaust his wealth to construct a castle if he had the means. It was essential for them to have a place where they could sleep soundly without the fear of losing their heads in the middle of the night.
Typically, the castles of great lords were divided into an upper city and a lower city, featuring both inner and outer walls. The architectural style revolved around the inner city, where the lord resided, with other buildings arranged neatly around the main castle. The lower city was not exclusively for the impoverished; lords permitted free citizens to live on the outskirts of their castles, but most of the living space was reserved for the knights loyal to them. These knights were the cornerstone of the lord's safety, while ordinary folk merely served to facilitate the nobles' lives, maintaining a semblance of normalcy.
Smaller lords had castles that consisted only of the upper city, housing just the lord's family, servants, and guards. Their knights often lived like minor nobles scattered throughout the small villages of their territories. In the face of sudden attacks, it was challenging for them to rally their forces quickly. Small lords, unable to afford many knights in their castles, had no choice but to operate this way. Fortunately, they typically relied on the protection of greater lords, presenting important matters to the higher nobility when necessary.
However, these castles were only three to five thousand years old, while the ancient castle where Fars found himself was over ten thousand years old, and its style was vastly different from the castles he was accustomed to.
Perhaps in ancient times, it was believed that walls could not contain mages who could soar through the skies freely. Thus, aside from the towering outer walls that bordered the moat, there were no inner fortifications. Like other structures from the Nesser era, high magical towers stood around the castle, but these towers were not residences for mages nor their laboratories; they merely served as central support points for the protective magical barrier. In times of war, they could also function as temporary magical towers for mages, providing them with ample space to unleash their powers.
In the New Era, where mages had become scarce, only the ancient family castles retained similar magical towers. Most families could not afford to maintain mages, let alone sustain the enormous costs associated with building magical towers.
Of course, places like the imperial capital, important ports, marketplaces, fortresses, and border regions still retained protective magical formations. Thus, Fars was not unfamiliar with these ancient structures. However, they were no longer supported by a single family; instead, entire empires allocated resources to maintain these magical towers, which could prove invaluable in times of need.
While there was no central castle within the city, it did not mean that the residents lacked social hierarchy. At the heart of the castle stood a grand palace. With his rudimentary knowledge of the Nesser language, Fars was able to discern the purpose of each named palace. Unsurprisingly, the central palace served as the council chamber, where military and political matters of the castle were addressed.
Given the presence of several magical towers nearby, it was likely that those who frequently visited were the powerful mages. Although they typically did not leave their towers, they would seek suitable locations for important discussions. The council chamber was perfectly suited to their status, situated at the center of the castle, reflecting their esteemed position and setting them apart from the common folk.
One could not help but admire the Nesser era's thirst for knowledge; even this place had a small library tucked away behind the council chamber. Fars could only guess whether it still contained any books. After a millennium, if not properly preserved, everything could have turned to dust.
This area was meant for the garrisoned troops, primarily stocked with various military supplies. Magical items and precious materials were likely hidden within the surrounding magical towers. That place was too dangerous, and Fars wisely chose to avoid it, leaving it for the "noble guests" who had specific purposes for coming here.
Fortunately, Fars still had some of the Blue Wolf King's blood left from his last visit, enough to sustain him for three to five days without hunger. If Master Perugino and the others did not arrive after several more days, Fars doubted they would possess the strength to explore these ruins filled with magical towers. Unfortunately, he had yet to encounter any living beings. For someone like Fars, who had high standards for his quality of life, he believed that only fresh blood could barely meet the expectations of his noble vampire status, even if it wasn't the delectable human blood he craved. Fars was not a professional in blood preservation; he wasn't entirely sure how to store blood correctly. He had merely kept the Blue Wolf King's blood in a simple container, lacking proper sealing, and after so many days, the taste had long since deteriorated. If not for the rarity and nourishment of the wolf king's blood, Fars would have discarded it long ago.
Of course, he couldn't just wait idly in the castle. There were many things he could accomplish during this free time, especially with the parchment containing the "Finger of Death" spell quietly resting in his spatial ring. Finally being able to learn the high-level spell he had longed for was enough to make Fars's heart race.
However, it was best to find a quiet place to study magic. Previously, while wandering near the Misty Forest, he had to remain vigilant against various potential dangers, making it impossible to fully concentrate on his studies. He had only skimmed through the spell once, and for someone like Fars, whose talent was not as strong as his character, mastering it immediately was out of the question.
The entire castle was surprisingly quiet, so quiet that aside from the sound of the wind rustling through his sleeves on the empty streets, there was no other noise. However, he couldn't just randomly enter any ordinary house. The residences within the castle were protected by high walls, and if Fars casually chose a house to enter, he would be unable to detect any surrounding movements. Therefore, he needed to find a vantage point that offered a clear view of the entire castle. With such requirements, there were indeed several suitable locations, and they were plentiful. They needed to be high, discreet, and most importantly, not fraught with peril—this led him to the magical towers at each corner of the castle.
These magical towers were for the temporary use of the mages in the city and did not possess the layers of protection that private towers had. Their defining feature was their height, which aided in spellcasting and served as a central part of the protective magical formation. As long as he avoided the control areas of the formation, the rest of the locations should not pose significant danger.
When Fars had entered through the castle gate, he had done so directly opposite the entrance. For some reason, he felt that they would also approach from this direction. It made sense; a massive maze protected the entire castle and magical towers, guiding outsiders into the area and preventing them from circumventing the castle from behind. While it was possible to forcefully break through the maze, entering from any direction was feasible. However, such a forceful entry would undoubtedly create a commotion. In this eerily quiet place, Fars was sure he would hear any sounds from the castle's rear within a few miles. More importantly, the magical towers were located near the entrance; if their goal was here, they would not escape Fars's notice.
Climbing the tall magical tower step by step would not necessarily appear reverent, especially since the doors of the magical towers might not open for strangers. If he encountered a closed door, he was reluctant to test whether the sealing spells still held any effect. Fine, Fars admitted that mages, including himself, were indeed eccentric. They seemed to set spells everywhere, perhaps to better showcase their value. In his previous life, Fars had also enjoyed placing small spells on the door of his bedroom, amusing himself by tormenting the servants who attended to him each morning. His poor personal attendant had likely developed a strong resistance to magic from the daily onslaught of spells.
As for why Fars was served by a male attendant rather than a delicate female maid, he actually preferred having a beautiful woman attend to him, as it brightened his mood each morning. Unfortunately, the Delong family rules forbade unmarried men from having female attendants. Moreover, in high society, most adult men employed male servants. At important events, such as banquets, male servants were often used to serve guests, demonstrating the host's respect for them. Only at certain nefarious private gatherings would one find an abundance of beautiful maids. After all, personal maids could not accompany their masters everywhere, attending various occasions. Most male nobles, still in their youthful prime, had grown accustomed to using male servants.
Fars couldn't help but marvel at the sturdiness of the castle's construction. After all, in a world filled with magical beasts, it was essential to prepare against numerous threats. The materials used for building the castle were meticulously selected, and even now, they remained intact. Ascending to the top of the tall magical tower, Fars found himself thwarted by thick windows. Regardless of what would trigger, he cast a protective shield on himself and kicked the window with force.
After a dull thud, the window remained unbroken. Well, with Fars's physical prowess, which could be considered at least level four or five for a melee class, he couldn't even kick open a window!
Similarly, there were no spells for Fars to trigger. Since that was the case, he could unleash his destructive tendencies without restraint.
Just then, he remembered that Danis had been quite idle lately; it was the perfect opportunity to let her stretch her muscles. In the days spent with Master Perugino and the others, Fars had tried to keep Danis low-key to avoid drawing unwanted attention. This little creature was incredibly lazy; if he didn't allow her to act, she would just lounge on his shoulder like a lord. Whenever she was hungry, she would open her mouth, and Fars would have to scurry to feed her a few ice crystals, lest her piercing phoenix cries attract attention. Just because he couldn't recognize Danis as a phoenix didn't mean Master Perugino wouldn't hear her calls.
Once again gripping the great sword that Danis had transformed into, Fars felt the familiar connection coursing through him. Perhaps Danis had been eating well lately; she was growing quickly, and he could distinctly sense the increased power emanating from the great sword.
With the sword in hand, Fars began to gather his magical energy, channeling it through the great sword conjured by Danis to unleash his strongest attack yet. The target was merely a thick wooden window, but when Fars struck, he left a massive gash in the tower's wall. The unfortunate window met its demise under the force of his blow, shattering into a cloud of dust.